Family Services

The DSC recognizes the need to provide a variety of support services to families with deaf or hard of hearing children. The DSC is currently providing or developing the following family services: 

Shared Reading Project:
The DSC offers a family mentoring and literacy program called the Shared Reading Project. This program pairs Deaf adult mentors with families that have deaf children and provides them with children’s literature and accompanying sign language videos. This also offers more opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing children to interact with role models and adults who sign fluently.

Family sign language classes:
We are currently offering sign language classes at half price for any family member of a deaf individual.  In the future we hope to offer sign language classes specifically geared towards parents and families.

In-home early intervention services:
Currently, the DSC is not able to provide early intervention services to families who have deaf or hard of hearing children. These services can be provided through the following agencies:

Camp for Kids:

In 2006, the Deaf Service Center provided tuition, transportation, and other support for deaf or hard of hearing children in Southwest Florida to attend a week-long summer camp session in the Camp for Kids project.